penstubalfandomcom-20200214-history
Moon Island: Post-Dissolution
Chapter 1 “Are you sure?”, the President of the Golden Coast Republic, Slender Mason, asked his intelligence director in his office. “I’m positive, sir. There are talks among senior Freezestonian government officials about annexing the Freezestonian Autonomous Region,” the spymaster, who was codenamed Zeta (or Z), replied. “By what methods?” “They are considering the possibility of a peaceful annexation, namely holding a referendum there. If that won’t work, some of the more radical officials plan on using military force to achieve their goal.” “I see. Thank you.” “You are welcome, Your Excellency.” “One more thing. How is Detainee 1 doing?”, the President asked, inquiring about a political dissident nicknamed Detainee 1 as said dissident was placed under detention without trial by the GCR government. “It has been more than 24 hours since he started his hunger strike. What should we do?” “Force feed him.” “With a pipe and all?” “No. Cook up a delicious meal for him. If he refuses to eat it, then beat him up. Repeat for three times. If he still refuses to eat it, then let him die. He has earned the right to die.” “Yes sir.” With that, Z walked out of the office. Slender drank a sip of single-malt scotch and proceeded with signing government documents. ---- “Oh, you are a Mason?”, Jonathan Mason’s classmate and crush Hannah exclaimed in surprise after he told her his surname when school ended. “I am,” he merely replied. “The Masons?” “Yes, I am part of them.” “Who’s your father? The President?” “Err, yeah,” he replied awkwardly. “I see,” she said. “How should I flirt with him? His dad is the fricking President!”, she thought to herself. The two walked to the parking lot of San Anderrie International School, where members of the faculty and students parked their cars. As she got into her BMW 3 Series, she saw the dark red and black Bugatti Veyron parked beside hers. Perhaps a bit unsurprisingly, his crush entered the car and started the engine. “You own that?”, Hannah asked. “It is mine. It’s more or less an annoyance to own it since penguins will crowd around it and take pics whenever I drive it around the city. I prefer my Ferrari 458, but it is currently being repaired.” “You own a Ferrari too?” “Yeah, of course...”, Jon said awkwardly again. “Ah...I’ll see you next Monday then,” Hannah said to him, remarking that they would be having the weekend off. “Alright, enjoy your weekend!”, he replied in turn, parting ways as the Bugatti revved out of the parking lot and entered the lane ways of the CBD. 20 minutes later, the car arrived at the Mason Residence, the home of the family’s main branch that is located on Anderrie Hill, the most expensive suburb in the republic. As he saw two white Mercedes S-Class limousines and a bright red Ferrari Enzo parked among the numerous luxury cars in the Residence’s compound, he knew for sure that two Cardinals of the Order of the Lightning Guardian had arrived, along with his elder brother Slender II, who was the Finance Minister of Golden Coast. The three guests were found conversing at the living room, where Jon’s younger half-sister Paula Mason (hatched by Slender’s second wife Jacqueline) had served them a tea set of scones, pastries and sandwiches and a pot of Darjeeling tea. “Welcome back, bro,” Slender II said as he poured a cuppa for his brother. Jonathan hugged his sister, who had just returned to the city after attending a student exchange programme to the Kingdom of Dancing Penguin, and then approached both of the Cardinals, one of them being his distant uncle and the other being someone not related to the family. As he is a descendant of the legendary Lightning Guardian (the ‘’de facto’’ deity of the GCR), the Cardinals placed his flipper on their foreheads as an acknowledgement of his status and descendance. Cardinals were usually greeted by having their rings kissed, unless the greeter is a member of the Mason family or a significant head of state. Jonathan then shook flippers with his elder brother. “How are you today?”, the finance minister asked. “I’m swell. Hannah was shocked today when she found out that I’m a Mason,” Jon replied before smothering a scone with cream and eating it. “There will be some turmoil in Moon Island in the coming months,” his uncle Cardinal Thomas Mason remarked all of a sudden. “What do you mean?”, Paula inquired, worried by such a statement. “Conflicts. Armed conflicts. Disputes with other countries.” “Who dares to challenge Golden Coast? We are firmly the most powerful country on Moon Island right now, especially after we annexed Tanthu a few months ago. The Shoppers, the Antarcticans and the AU rely on us for gas and oil. We have the largest army and air force,” Jonathan said. “My guts told me that this conflict will be started by someone else, but our country will join in because it is in our interest to do so,” the Cardinal said. ---- That night, the Masons of Golden Coast gathered at the Residence for a formal dinner as they celebrated the 25th anniversary of Grand Pontiff Alexander Mason’s ascension to the esteemed religious position (an uncle of President Slender). The Grand Pontiff, 4 Cardinals and several other high-ranking priests were dressed in their ecclesiastical uniforms, while the other members were dressed in dinner jackets and evening gowns due to the formality of the occasion. Several GCR tycoons, government officials and military officers were also present that evening. After cocktails, antipasti, shrimp cocktails and escargots were served as the hors d’œuvres. Next came a bowl of pumpkin soup for each diner, followed by fish (gravlax and caviar), game (grilled venison with cream sauce) and meat (filet mignon steak served with avocado butter and rice and beans). A lemon sorbet was then served before a cannoli was presented to each diner. After the meal, the guests retired to the large living room where coffee and candies (Turkish delight) were served. The president and his four wives occupied an entire couch, while the rest sat anywhere they wanted. Small talk occupied the family for hours before most of them dispersed to other parts of the house, leaving only Slender, Slender II, Grand Pontiff Alexander, Vice President Patrick Mason, a tycoon named James Cho and Slender’s main wife Katherine. “A Freezestonian fighter jet trespassed into the FAR’s airspace while we were dining,” the President said. “Cardinal Thomas is right after all,” his eldest son and heir said. “If this goes on, we must adopt the necessary measures in order to prevent the Freezestonians from expanding their influence to our island,” the Vice President, who was also the President’s cousin, said. “Yeah, but we can’t just order our tanks into their territory. They have done nothing that is too aggressive so far,” Katherine said. “What if we sanction them? We can use our navy to blockade their island,” the Pontiff suggested. “If we do that, we’ll have to use our entire navy in order to make it work,” James Cho remarked. “We’ll need to side with Wizzintine.” “Oh yeah. They have the largest navy after all. I’m sure that they won’t mind lending us a flipper,” Slender II said. “Alright then. I’ll meet with President Penstubal tomorrow in order to secure his help,” the President said before they continued discussing other matters. Chapter 2 “NO! We won’t do that!”, Penstubal yelled at Slender as the two met at the Wizzintine President’s office. “Why not? We Moon Islanders can’t let them annex a part of our island. This is our island!” “Stop your crap, mate. You Golden Coasters have never considered yourself to be part of Moon Island. Otherwise you wouldn’t have vetoed the MIC Administration’s proposal for a currency and trade union,” Stubal said. It was then that Slender was reminded of the Moon Island Council’s existence. Formerly the governing polity of the island, it devolved into a rump state when a civil war broke out 40 years ago. Today it occupies the central east portion of Moon Island, with its ‘’de facto’’ capital at New Typhoon City. However, it was mostly ignored by the other countries, namely the State of Norover (ruled by the warlord president Andrew Tammany), the Democratic Republic of Moonholm (run as a parliamentary republic under Prime Minister Aquamarina14 and President Brookelas), the Kingdom of Dancing Penguin (ruled as a constitutional monarchy by Emperor Dps04, who is an executive head of state), Sirpathe (a constitutional republic ruled by Dave33333’s conservative government), the Golden Coast Republic (an authoritarian, family-run dictatorship ruled by the Mason family, with Slender as the despotic President) and the Freezestonian Autonomous Region (ruled by a presidential council of three who represents the three largest ethnicities in the country). Moonover was an autonomous region (headed by President Isai Castro) of the MIC Administration, which itself is ruled by Council President Tom Saworton. “You voted against it too, you goddamn hypocrite!”, Slender retaliated in anger. “If I didn’t remind you that the proposal is heavily biased in the MIC Administration’s favour, you would’ve lost a lot of money for your country!” “True...but we still aren’t lending you our navy,” Stubal said, making his stance clear. “We may not be politically united, but we are still united by heart. We must stop Freezestonian imperialism,” Slender said again. “If there’s any imperialist at all, it would be you! You are only intervening because the Golden Coaster residents of FAR will lose their autonomy if Freezestonia takes over,” “I hold the interest of Moon Island at heart too. After all, they too are Moon Islanders. You know what, fine. If you don’t want to lend me your navy, I’ll buy some ships and boats from your countrymen,” Slender said. “Or I can just order them not to sell to the GCR,” the President said. “And proceed to get your country’s laissez faire reputation tarnished due to the head of state ordering businesses not to sell to a foreign country? I’d like to see that,” Slender retorted as he walked out of the room. ---- Having bought cheap cargo ships and boats from some Wizzintine businessmen, Slender arranged a meeting with Moon Island’s ‘Warlord of the West’. Inviting President General Tammany to lunch at San Anderrie’s finest restaurant, the GCR President dined and wined him before laying out a request to rent his sizeable navy. Like Stubal, the warlord wasn’t easily persuaded, but he still leased it to him in exchange for shipments of small arms and armoured infantry vehicles. Three days after the meeting with Penstubal, the ships bought by Slender were armed with artillery pieces and naval guns. Some of them were even armed with flame throwing cannons that resembled medieval Greek fire. Meanwhile, boats had machine guns and rocket launchers bolted to them. The armada of GCR-run ships soon surrounded Freezestonia. Freezestonian ships were prevented from leaving the island at the risk of being sank by the GCR. Despite hoping that international pressure would force the Golden Coasters to back down, Freezestonian President Snowstormer was forced to accede to Slender’s demand to stop interfering with the FAR’s affairs when the armada (backed by fighter jets) engaged the country’s naval flagship in combat and heavily damaged it. He was called to Phoenix, where he made an unsigned personal promise to Slender. Regardless of Slender’s success, he was specifically condemned by the MIC Administration. He had long been the Administration’s enemy and he was often accused of ‘dominating the island’s political landscape’, even though the GCR was actually sharing influence and power with both the Dancing Penguin Kingdom and Wizzintine. Despite being the single most powerful political entity on the island, Slender knew that the GCR couldn’t last long if the entire island united against it. ---- Despite his disregard of the MIC Administration, he was encouraged by his main wife Katherine to attend a ‘Rulers’ Conference’ held by the MIC Administration. He brought along all of his wives, his daughters Diane (hatched by forth wife Sandra), Alexis (hatched by Katherine), Nancy and Elizabeth (both hatched by second wife Snowy), his sons Stanley (hatched by second wife Jacqueline) and Jonathan, and his entourage of bodyguards and aides to the city. After landing at the airport, the GCR leader checked into a five-star hotel (which wasn’t the venue of the conference), had a meal at a local award-winnning Japalandese restaurant with his family before he parted ways with his family. While the four wives and their children went on a self-guided trip to explore the city, purchasing every branded or luxury good that they fancied, their husband/father met with the other leaders of Moon Island at the venue of the conference. They were only referred as Rulers because the MIC Administration refused to recognise their position as leaders of independent countries, the sovereignty of which they refused to recognise either. They were called Rulers because the MIC Administration merely recognised them to be in charge of the governance of their respective countries. In turn, the other countries regarded the MIC Administration to be an outdated and weak rump state. As he sat beside Emperor Dps04 and Golden Coaster-FAR community leader Jordan Tang (who represents the Golden Coaster residents of the FAR in the country’s Presidency/presidential council), he couldn’t help but wonder about MI’s funny political situation and its politicians. Despite being an independent and sovereign country decades before the Moon Island Civil War broke out, the GCR was no longer recognised by the MIC rump state as an independent nation a few years after it dissolved. The MIC Administration even went as far as to claim the entire island to be under its jurisdiction (including the sovereign GCR and Dancing Penguin Kingdom prior to the civil war) and called for motions to block the other countries from joining the UAN. Despite failing to block their memberships, the MIC Administration was lucky enough to be recognised by both Shops Island and the USA and it was technically independent as a result. His maternal grandfather President Raul Hart, who was Slender’s predecessor as president, used to be criticised by Tom Saworton senior (the father of the current MIC President who was the President of the Republic of Moon Island at the time of its dissolution and civil war) for being the ‘main instigator of the civil war and the main cause for the division that exists in Moon Island’. This statement was not far from the truth as Raul provided huge supplies of weaponry and fuel to Wizzintine, Sirpathe, Dancing Penguin, the FAR, Norover, Moonholm and Tanthu in order to help them to secede. In fact, he even personally led the coalition of armies (consisting of Wizzintine, Dancing Penguin and GCR) that severely reduced what was left of the MIC’s territory and pushed it to its present day state. However, Raul disregarded his statement because he believed that the senior Saworton was whining about how his power was reduced. It didn’t take several minutes to heat up the meeting as the leaders had already started yelling at each other. “What the fuck is wrong with you?!”, Tom Saworton junior yelled at Slender. “I’m merely defending Moon Island from foreign intrusion,” the GCR President said. “By surrounding a country with your navy?!” “Who else would be willing to step up for the FAR if I did not act?” “Your excuse of defending MI is utter bull. You’ve long been an advocate for disunity in the island!”, the MIC President said. It sounded like what his father had said about the GCR President’s maternal grandfather. “And who else is supposed to defend MI? You?! Mate, you are just a fucking pretender whose only goal is to control the entire island!”, Jordan Tang said, surprising everyone since the FAR’s Presidency usually remains quiet in ‘Rulers’ Conference’. “Shut the fuck up, you aren’t even an ethnic Typhoonian unlike most of us!”, the MIC President said. “Do you have any idea how racist you sound?”, Emperor Dps04 said. He surprised everyone more than Jordan did because he was considered to be the most revered among the MI leaders. “Yeah. Back to what Jordan said, you are nothing but a pretender!”, Stubal said, to the applause of some of the leaders. “All that interests you is fantasising about taking over the entire island,” the warlord Andrew Tammany said. “The only reason why the Administration couldn’t be legitimate is because warlords like you are controlling what is considered to be the Administration’s rightful territory with violence.” “Bullshit. You are no longer legitimate because you have lost the favour of the people,” Slender said. “Of course I *ahem* ‘lost favour’ at places where Golden Coasters, Nexonans and Freezestonians inhabit. If these places are filled with ethnic Typhoonians like they are supposed to be in the first place, then MI will be united,” the racist MIC President said, hinting at his preference for ethnic cleansing. “Then what about the northern and central states that seceded? They are inhabited by your so-called ethnic Typhoonians too,” Slender retorted, to the applause of the other leaders. “Fuck this. I’m having a break,” Jordan said as he walked out of the room. He was subsequently followed by other members of the FAR Presidency, Slender and other leaders, leaving the MIC President there “He is such a douche,” Jordan said to his friend as the leaders walked into a lounge reserved solely for their use. “Yeah. Not one meeting goes without him uttering racial slurs.” ---- The leaders soon returned to the room after their anger had reduced to a low. As the agenda of the conference revolved around the Freezestonian Autonomous Region’s political status, a controversial topic in itself, tensions began to boil up once more. “I believe that the current situation of having a collective head of state is good enough,” Slender said. “It ensures fair representation for all races. The territories dominated by each ethnicity also reflect well on their population. With Freezestonians occupying 4 out of the 7 provinces and the other races of Typhoonians, Golden Coasters and Nexonans each occupying one, it solidified the country’s claim of being a Freezestonian-majority nation without compromising the interests of the minorities.” “I believe that the MIC Administration should take charge of the central government of the FAR,” Saworton said. “Oh fuck me and my fuckass life,” Jordan remarked to Prime Minister Aquamarina14 who sat beside him. “On what basis should it take charge?”, Penstubal questioned. “On the basis that we are the legitimate-“, Saworton said. “Anyway, my main point is that if an ethnicity decides to secede to another country, only the provinces they control should do so instead of the nation as a whole,” Slender interrupted the clearly incompetent MIC leader. “There’s no guarantee that you aren’t going to turn the Nexonan and Golden Coaster enclaves into your puppet states,” Dave said all of a sudden. “Yeah, aren’t you the son of the Nexonan Emperor?”, Penstubal added. Slender was stunned for a moment. All the while, the 32 year old head of state had forgotten that his father was the Emperor of Nexon, a despotic state often called the ‘Sleeping Dragon of Antarctica’ due to its natural wealth and powerful military. It was so powerful that many candidates in the USA’s presidential election last year claimed that it was a threat against the USA, including the infamous Tenorio who said that “Nexon poses a passive threat to the U.S. that is as grave as Zhou’s active threat, so there’s no telling how threatening it would be if it actively challenges us”. “My heritage and my potential succession to the Nexonan imperial throne are both irrelevant to the governance of the Nexonan ethnic enclaves in the FAR,” Slender said to everyone in the room, in a stern tone. He then glared directly into the eyes of each leader, daring them to say more about this topic. “Speaking of secession, some of Moonover’s residents would like to secede from the MIC Administration,” President Isai of Moonover said all of a sudden in order to break the sudden silence, shocking every delegates including Slender himself. “What the fuck?! You can’t do that!”, Saworton yelled. “Relax dude, I only said some of us. However, if you are going to keep on with your disrespect for other leaders here, we will secede!”, Isai said. Before he sat down, however, Saworton called for the meeting to be adjourned until everyone had dinner that evening. ---- “Thank you, Alexis,” Slender said to his daughter as she handed him the Patek Philippe watch that she bought that evening for over 68,000 CPC. Jordan Tang and Emperor Dps04 were in the room as well. The three leaders were dining at the Zhouese restaurant located at the hotel Slender was staying at. “Have you had dinner yet?”, Slender asked his daughter. “Not really, I’ll be joining mum and the gang for dinner later,” she replied. “Here, have some ‘’xiao long bao,” he said while giving her some of the soup dumplings. She ate them before she said her goodbyes to the three leaders. “Dude, I knew that you remembered my birthday was tomorrow,” Jordan said to his friend the President. “The watch isn’t for you.” “...What?! Don’t tell me that it’s for you.” “I already have a Patel Philippe. This is for Isai.” “Bro, don’t tell me that you are intending on bribing Isai,” the Emperor said after finishing his bowl of ‘’la mein’’. “Bribe? It’s a gift,” Slender said dismissively. ---- “Yes, it’s official that we will secede,” Isai said firmly to Saworton junior. By then, the MIC President was very mad. “YOU’LL PAY, JACKASS! YOU AREN’T A POWERFUL WARLORD LIKE THE OTHER RULERS HERE! I’LL CRUSH YOU WITH MY POLICE FORCE ALONE!”, the MIC President said, losing what was left of his little dignity. “Go ahead,” Isai said before he stormed out. Needless to say, the conference was adjourned, albeit permanently this time. Chapter 3 “You’ll be the CEO of a software firm owned by my family. You’ll get a company car, which is a McLaren, and a villa will be provided for your stay. Your salary will be 4.2 million CPC annually, after tax. It’s better than getting your ass crushed by Saworton,” Slender said to Isai when the latter met him a week later at Slender’s office in the Presidential Palace. “Alright,” Isai said with a sigh. “When do I resign?” “A day after you declare Moonover independent. You’ll be at the height of your popularity, so your legacy will not be tarnished by the incoming conflict. You’ll be revered as a hero.” “Alright, remember to keep your words.” ---- Two days after Isai resigned, Saworton ordered his paramilitary and militias to march into Moonover. A bloody clash ensued when the militants started murdering the locals. Hundreds were massacred at the border towns during the first week of the fighting alone. Saworton appeared to be winning when his forces entered the outskirts of Moon Island City at the end of the month. However, he was surprised when fighter jets conducted a bombing campaign in New Typhoon City one night. Hiding at the underground bunker of the presidential manor, he knew exactly who was responsible. The next day, his forces met a formidable challenge in the form of the GCR military that had invaded Moonover and the MIC Administration’s territory. The GCR enacted brutal revenge against MIC loyalists and the pro-Typhoonian militias that it fought. Thousands of them were lined up against a wall before being machine gunned. In two weeks’ time, Saworton was captured and executed. The territories were annexed to the GCR. Everything happened so fast that the other countries couldn’t react to this new development. “What now? He owns Moon Island City now. He can claim ownership over the entire island,” Prime Minister Aqua said with worry as she met with Emperor Dps04, Dave33333 and Penstubal. “We must invade him in return. We must claim MIC back!”, the war hawk Dave said. “Are you nuts? He can steamroll us right now!”, Stubal said. “He’s a hypocrite. On one hand, he claims to be preventing foreign influence from entering MI, while he himself is the heir of the Emperor of one of the foreign powers.” “Like Slender himself had guaranteed, he will not let his father affect his policies,” Dps04 spoke up in defence of his friend and ally. “We must still convince him to cede Moon Island City to a neutral party,” Penstubal insisted. “I suggest that Moon Island be run by a committee set up by all of the countries on the island,” Dps04 said to the other leaders. “Sounds like a good idea to be honest,” Aquamarina14 said. ---- Two days later, the remaining leaders met with Slender at the Emperor’s palace in Dancing Penguin City. “So y’all want me to cede Moon Island City?,” the GCR leader questioned the other leaders. “Yes. The city shouldn’t be held by any other country because it represents the island as a whole. We believe that it should be under the joint administration of each country,” Penstubal said. “Do you really expect me to give it up that easily after I’ve spent my soldiers’ effort to conquer it?” “What’s wrong with you?! You are a greedy imperialist pig!”, Dave yelled at him. “Name your price,” Brookelas said. “Now this is a smart penguin, unlike some asshats,” Slender remarked, insulting Dave in the process. “This depends on whether you want Moon Island City itself or it’s surrounding metropolitan area.” “The city itself,” Penstubal said. “My accountants estimated that it’s worth 35 billion. If it is to be placed under international management, I’ll sell it for 30 billion excluding the amount that the GCR would have to pay, which it doesn’t have to since it currently owns it,” Slender replied. “What the hell? You are already a billionaire!”, Brookelas said in anger to the GCR president. “Judging by the finances of each of your countries, none of you will be able to cough up that sum in cash by yourself without such short notice. Each of you only have to pay 5 billion CPC for the city. If you are adamant to paying for it, then get the fuck out of here. Don’t come crying to me if your country isn’t involved in the new management,” the president said bluntly. “You sure know how to make money, even more so than the businessmen in Wizzint. It won’t be surprising if the 5 billion that the GCR officially has to pay comes in the form of investments by your family or allies,” Penstubal said with a grin. “Y’all have 10 days to pay up if the city is to be placed under international management,” Slender said again. Regardless, the deal was soon concluded with all parties agreeing to pay 5 billion CPC each. Within 10 days, heavily-guarded convoys from the six nations transported the payments to the GCR capital of San Anderrie. The president’s personal accountant and lawyer, Thomas Stewart, oversaw a ‘substantial portion’ of the 30 billion being transferred to the Masons’ bank accounts. The following week, Slender allegedly wrote a 1 billion CPC cheque to his eldest son Slender II and a 800 million CPC cheque to Jonathan as the two celebrated their birthdays on the same week. When the brothers cashed in the cheques at the GCR’s largest bank, the bank’s CEO (who is surprisingly not a relative of the president’s) had to personally oversee the deposition of the money. The rest of the year passed by uneventfully on a regional level as the GCR improved their diplomatic relationships with the other six nations. Slender personally led this effort as he not only hosted diplomats and heads of state in the presidential palace, but also went to the other six countries for state visits. In certain countries such as the FAR (especially in the Nexonan and Golden Coaster enclaves) and the KDP, he was welcomed with much fanfare, while his visits faced protests in Moonholm and Sirpathe. Chapter 4 “Oh,” Slender merely uttered when the Nexonan ambassador to the GCR bowed before him in his office and presented him with an invitation. His father, Emperor Suleiman of Nexon, had invited him to his 70th birthday celebration. “I probably would have forgotten his birthday if it isn’t for this invitation,” Slender thought to himself. “His Imperial Majesty would be very pleased if Your Highness can partake in this prestigious festivity,” the Nexonan ambassador said, acknowledging the president’s status as his heir. “Tell my father the Emperor that I will be there with my immediate family,” he responded. The Nexonan then bowed before leaving the office. Arriving at the Residence in his Bugatti Atalante, a classic sport car from the 20’s that the president bought for a record-breaking 48 million CPC a few weeks ago and modified to accommodate modern technology for another 7 million, Slender felt as if he had returned home after consecutively staying at the presidential palace for two weeks. “We’ll be going to grandfather Suleiman’s this Saturday,” Slender announces to his family members, who had gathered at the living room. “Oh yeah, it’s his birthday,” Slender II remarked. “Pack your bags, lads,” the patriarch said before they headed to the dining room for dinner. ---- Their fleet of private jets soon departed for Nexon City International Airport. Following the President were his four wives and 18 children. He was indeed a man of great virility. Following them were entourages numbering to the hundreds. They soon landed at the airport, where they were given treatments befitting heads of state.